


Fire Escape

by tiffanytheweirdo, WannaBeBold



Series: Ellick Playlist [4]
Category: NCIS
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, Smut, at the end, jerk Jake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:47:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24602596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiffanytheweirdo/pseuds/tiffanytheweirdo, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WannaBeBold/pseuds/WannaBeBold
Summary: While going through her divorce, a handsome stranger moves in across the hall from Ellie Bishop, throwing her world for a loop.
Relationships: Ellie Bishop & Nick Torres, Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres
Series: Ellick Playlist [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1761892
Comments: 32
Kudos: 48





	Fire Escape

When she first found out her husband was having an affair she was devastated. Jake Malloy was the last person she ever thought would cheat but here she was, looking around an empty living room, prepared to start her life over.

Until now, she never realized how much of this apartment was Jake. There were a few pictures of the two of them but other than that, everything was impersonal and monotone. As much as she tried to get Jake to just keep the place, he insisted that, since he was the one who messed up, she should be the one who gets the apartment. The only plus side to the situation was that now she could decorate how she actually wanted to, not how Jake insisted. The first thing she did was strip up the black tile, replacing it with cream tile in the entryway and hardwood throughout the rest of the apartment. Her next order of business was painting the walls to make the place more welcoming and now she was just waiting for her furniture to be delivered. 

Hearing a commotion from the corridor, she went to open the door. There was a guy outside, back to her, wheeling a dolly down the hall.

“Ugh finally! You guys were supposed to be here an hour ago! I would kinda like to be able to sit down in my apartment now.” The man stopped outside her door, letting the item down before turning to her. Her breath caught in her throat and she mentally cursed herself for being so harsh. This guy was hot. Not just normal hot but male model hot. 

His eyes trailed down her form and she suddenly realized that, in a rush to get her furniture in, she had forgotten to throw on her shirt and now she was just in a sports bra and yoga pants. A blush flared on her cheeks as she felt the heat of his gaze on her and she shifted her feet, trying to find the words to break the tension. Luckily, he spoke up so she didn’t have to. 

“Um, I’m actually not a mover.” He chuckled lightly and brought a hand up to rub the back of his neck. “I’m moving in today.” Ellie’s eyes went wide as she processed that information. “Sorry, Nick. Nick Torres.” He held his arm out for a handshake which she accepted. As soon as their hands touched she felt a jolt of electricity run through her and, if his widened eyes were any indication, he felt it too. Yanking her hand back, she looked down before remembering she still hadn’t introduced herself. 

“E-Ellie. Ellie Bishop. Nice to meet you Nick.” Nick smiled and she swore she went weak in the knees. 

“Nice to meet you too Ellie.” The way he said her name made her toes curl and she suddenly wanted to hear him say it all the time. 

“I’m uh, sorry about earlier. I’ve been waiting all day for my furniture to arrive and they were supposed to be here at 2:00 but they still haven’t shown up and the only thing I have to sit on is the floor.” 

“You could come over.” At her wide eyes he quickly continued. “I just mean uh, I already have my couch set up. You could wait over here till they come.” Nick watched as she seemed to think it over. She was about to open her mouth to agree when the elevator at the end of the hall dinged and a guy with a clipboard started walking her way. Ellie sighed and rolled her eyes at the timing. 

“Mrs. Malloy?” Cringing at the name, she caught a glimpse of Nick’s face and swore she saw a flash of disappointment there. 

“It’s Ms. actually. And Bishop.” Grabbing the clipboard out of the man’s hands and signing her name, she tried not to think too hard about Nick’s reaction to hearing her being called Mrs. and the relief at her correction. Once the man went back down to start bringing up furniture she looked up at her new neighbor. “Thanks for the invite but uh, I should probably supervise.” 

“No problem. See you later Ellie.” He flashed her that thousand watt smile again as he rolled the boxes into his apartment which happened to be across the hall from hers. She had to grip the door frame as he sent her a wink before closing his door and walking inside. The sound of the elevator had her shaking herself out of a daydream and she stood up straighter, ready to get to work. 

* * *

Unfortunately, work kept her busy the week following her run in with Nick which meant late nights and no running into him in the hall. Ellie had to admit, she missed his bright smile more than she should and she really wished she could see it again soon. 

Her wish was granted on Sunday when she was coming up the stairs, exhausted from the case that they gloriously just closed, when Nick suddenly came running down the stairs, clearly dressed for a run, and bumped into her. Losing her balance, she reached out to grab onto something to keep from falling down the stairs when he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her flush against him. 

“Th-thank you.” When he didn’t let her go immediately, she brought her hand up to rest on his forearm. She knew he was muscled but feeling them up close and personal like this made her imagination run wild.

“My pleasure Ellie.” He smirked, eyes darkening as she looked at him. As much as she wanted to lean in, the practical side of her brain won out and she stepped back out of his arms, immediately missing his warmth. Nick’s eyes trailed down to look her over, noting her wrinkled clothes, dark circles under her eyes, and frazzled hair. A spark of jealousy went through him at the thought of her spending the night with another guy but he quickly pushed it away. “So uh, you just getting home?” 

She brushed a hand over her hair, looking up at him. “Yeah. Work went long yesterday and I had to sleep at the office. We finally wrapped everything up this morning.” Nick visibly relaxed at her words and she tried not to think about what that could mean. He opened his mouth to say something when she yawned, cutting him off. 

“I should uh, let you go. Get some sleep.” 

“Oh uh, yeah. And you should get going on your run.” He was still standing in front of her so she moved back, starting up the steps. “Bye Nick.” Watching her run up the stairs, he sent a quiet “bye Ellie,” her way, waiting until she was out of sight before putting his ear buds in and continuing on his way. Throughout his run she was the only thing on his mind. 

Back in her apartment, Ellie barely got changed into pajamas before collapsing into bed. Her skin still tingled from where he grabbed her and she could still picture his smile as she fell into a peaceful sleep. 

* * *

“Damn it!” A bang reverberated through the apartment as she slammed the bathroom cabinet closed. With the stress of everything surrounding the divorce she had stopped taking her birth control, not that she needed it now, but her period apparently has come back in full force and she had nothing for it. The clock showed it was just before midnight and she sighed, resigning herself to a trip to the store. Slipping her tennis shoes on and a thin sweater over her pajama top, she grabbed her bag and walked out the door. 

Rounding the corner of the female hygiene aisle she stopped in her tracks. Nick Torres was the last person she ever wanted, or expected, to see searching for tampons but there he was, looking over all of the options like they were evidence. And the worst part is that it didn’t look like he was going to be moving any time soon. Not sure what to do, she went to grab a box of generic brand ones at the end of the aisle when she heard her name.

“Ellie?” Her head whipped up to see Nick standing there, two boxes in hand, staring at her.

“Oh um, hi Nick. What’re you doing here?” She cringed at her question. It was obvious he was here buying supplies for his girlfriend, the woman she had seen coming in and out of his apartment almost every day the past week. 

Nick would’ve laughed had he not felt so awkward at the situation. “Oh ya know just uh…” he held up the boxes, each a different brand, as to show his point, “trying to figure out which ones to get. You?” He kicked himself for making the situation more awkward. 

“Y-yeah um. S-same… yep.” Ellie’s cheeks were now completely red, Nick’s almost matching in color, as she rocked on her feet. She really just needed him to leave so she could get what she came here for but he was standing right in front of her brand.

“Why do there have to be SO many?” 

She actually laughed at his words, some of the awkwardness dissipating, and stepped closer to him. “Yeah, tell me about it. You uh, you need help?” He turned towards her with wide, pleading eyes. 

“Please. Lucia just told me to go out and buy tampons but I never knew there were so many kinds. I mean, there’s even different sizes Ellie! And I really don’t wanna think about what that corresponds to.” Ellie couldn’t help but laugh at his obvious disgust.

“First of all Nick, the only thing sizes correspond to is flow.” He actually looked horrified at what she was saying so she gave up, grabbing the boxes out of his hand and putting them back on the shelf. “Here. This is a safe one to go with. And if your girlfriend’s gonna be over there a lot you should probably get several boxes once you know which kinda she uses.” She tried not to let the jealousy show in her voice. Standing on her tip-toes, she tried to reach for a box on the top shelf when Nick came up behind her, grabbing them and handing them over. “Oh um, thanks.” She started to walk away, very ready to get home when Nick began to follow her, gently grabbing her elbow to stop her before she got out of the aisle.

“These uh, aren’t for my girlfriend. They’re for my niece. My sister has been helping me get settled this week and Amanda declared a sleepover was needed this weekend.” 

“Oh well then. You should still probably keep some at your place for whenever she stays over. Ah” she grabbed his hand, pulling him with her down the next aisle, “you’re gonna need lots of this too.” Not having to think about it, Ellie grabbed several bags of chocolate, throwing some in his arms and carrying the rest for herself as they walked to the checkout. 

The older man chuckled at them, mumbling something about remembering when he used to do that shopping for his wife, but they were too busy talking to pay attention. Despite her protests, Nick grabbed her bags too as they walked back to their building. A minute into their fifteen minute walk, he looked over to see Ellie shivering, rubbing her hands up and down her arms for warmth. Pausing in the middle of the sidewalk, he sat their bags down and started to remove his jacket. 

Sensing that he wasn’t beside her anymore, Ellie stopped, turning to look at him. “Um Nick. what’re you doing?” Not answering her question, he stepped forward, slipping the jacket around her shoulders and pulling it tight around her. 

“You looked cold.” He just shrugged, picking up the bags and continuing walking. Ellie blinked, trying to wrap her mind around what just happened before catching up. They walked in silence for another minute when she started up their first real conversation. 

“So Nick. What made you move here?” He took a moment to think of how to respond, finally deciding to just tell her the whole truth. 

“My job. I’m an NCIS Agent and just left undercover work for a place on a team here in DC.” 

“NCIS huh?” Nick nodded, surprised she didn’t ask what it was. 

“Yeah, my sister is a JAG lawyer. Guess it runs in the family.” He looked over to see Ellie smile. “So what about you? Why did you decide DC was home?” 

“My job too actually. After college I joined the NSA, that’s actually where I met my soon-to-be ex husband. A couple years ago I got recruited by an FBI Agent to join the BAU and it was an offer I couldn’t pass up.” 

“Wow, FBI huh? And in the Behavior Analysis Unit at that. Impressive.” Nudging her shoulder playfully, she giggled, happy to hear a positive response to her job.

They spent the rest of their walk talking about nonsense and Ellie sighed when they stopped outside her door. She really didn’t want their time together to end. 

“Well uh, here’s your bags. And thank you again for the help tonight. I promise I’m not always this clueless when it comes to women.” His smirk made her want to know just what he knew about women and was jolted out of her thoughts when he suddenly leaned down to whisper in her ear. “And by the way Ellie, I am very single.” Pressing a kiss to her cheek, he smiled at her and went into his apartment. 

As soon as she was inside, she pulled the collar of his jacket up and breathed in his scent. If she fell asleep that night with his jacket on her spare pillow, dreaming of him well, no one needed to know.

* * *

Entering his apartment, he cringed when he noticed the time. Amanda was gonna be pissed. 

“Uncle Nick where the hell have you been?! You left an hour ago!” She grabbed the bag out of his hands, shock filling her as she saw the contents. “You got me chocolate?” Not used to this side of his niece, he nodded as she gave him a hug. “Thank you! Wait!” She pulled back as quickly as she had hugged him, a hand now on her hip. “How did you know to get me chocolate?” Nick Torres may be a Special Agent, but seeing his niece like this was a new type of scary and he didn’t know what to do. 

“I uh, ran into my neighbor at the store, she kinda helped me in what to get.” A smile slowly crept across her face and now he was definitely nervous. 

“This neighbor wouldn’t be Ellie would it? The one that you’ve been talking about non-stop since you moved in?” 

“I haven’t talked about her that much.” Her eye roll made him revise his statement. He did not need to be on her bad side right now. “Okay, so maybe I’ve talked about her a little but she’s the only neighbor I’ve met, of course I’m gonna talk about her.” 

Amanda had both hands on her hips now, clearly scrutinizing him. Eventually, she smiled as realization came over her. “You like her.”

“What?!” His voice rose two octaves with the word. “I do not!” 

“Oh come on Uncle Nick. You talk about her all the time even though you’ve only met her a few times and you just spent an hour with her at the grocery store buying tampons and chocolate.” He tried to cut in but she continued. “And if the fact that she helped you choose them is any indication, I’d say she likes you too.” 

Sighing, Nick thought about her words. “You really think so?” Amanda nodded enthusiastically. “No. No no. I mean, even if she did like me, which she doesn’t, she’s going through a divorce. I couldn’t do that to her right now.” 

“Fine. But just, think about okay? I want you to be happy, you deserve it.” Amanda turned around, heading to the guest room, leaving her uncle to think about what she said. 

Lying in bed that night, Amanda’s words kept repeating in his head. He thought back to the few interactions he had with Ellie and realized that maybe he did like her. For now though, he would keep his distance and be there for her as a friend. When her divorce was finalized, he made no promises about his actions. 

* * *

“Jake?” Ellie questioned when she opened her door to see him. Instead of answering, he walked right past her going straight for the living room. “Okay then... Come on in.” 

“So I see it didn’t take long for you to redecorate.”

“Well yeah, I figured if I’m the only one living here now I may as well make it feel like home.” 

“So what, it didn’t feel like home when I was here?” Ellie sighed, rolling her eyes. There was no way she was getting into that now. She already didn’t expect to see him here today and she didn’t feel like arguing with him.

“What’re you doing here?”

“Where is it Ellie?.” 

“What are you talking about Jake, where’s what?”

“My mother’s broach. I know I left it here so tell me where it went. Or did you already sell it?”

“Jake I don’t have your mother’s broach. You took everything with you, remember?”

“It’s not in any of my things so I know you have to have it. Hell, you probably unpacked it just to mess with me.” The last part was said under his breath but she heard him loud and clear. 

“I don’t have the damn broach Jake! Why don’t you go ask your little girlfriend where it went?” Her voice was getting louder now and she hoped none of her neighbors were home to hear what she knew was coming. 

“Don’t you dare drag Taylor into this!” Ellie backed up a little as his voice became louder than she’d ever heard it. Not paying attention, she backed into a kitchen chair, knocking the jacket that was on it to the ground. The motion caught Jake’s eye and he looked down, staring daggers into the item. “Ellie. What the hell is that?” 

Gathering her courage, she spoke up to him for the first time. “That’s none of your damn business.” 

Special Agent or not, Jake stepping into her personal space, fists clenched, now made her nervous.

“You’re my wife Ellie, it is my business.” Dodging his hand that went to grab her wrist, she stepped around the table, trying to get closer to her weapon. 

“Yeah, your soon to be ex-wife! Because YOU cheated Jake! Or did you forget that little detail?” 

“How do I know you didn’t cheat on me too huh? Cause this is clearly a man’s jacket.” 

Keys already out, Nick was ready to unlock his door when he heard yelling and a crashing sound coming from one of the other apartments. Hand ready on his weapon, he listened closer for the source of the sound. Panic began to fill him as he realized it was coming from Ellie’s. Taking a deep breath, he kicked in the door and saw Ellie backed into a corner, eyes wide with fear, and a man standing way too close to her to his liking. Seeing Nick standing there, gun drawn, filled her with hope. 

The sound of the door being kicked in was enough to distract Jake and she was able to land a kick between the legs, dropping him immediately. Nick rushed over, pulling the man up and leading him out the door, whispering harshly in his ear.

“If I ever see you here or near Ellie again I can promise you, a kick to balls will be the last of your worries.” 

From across the room, Ellie watched as Nick pushed Jake out of the apartment, shutting the door and pushing a chair up against it for good measure. She would have to get it fixed tomorrow but right now the chair would have to do. Relief flowing through her, she collapsed to the ground as Nick rushed over to her. 

“Ellie! Are you okay?” Kneeling on the ground, he reached out a hand and cupped her cheek, looking her over for injuries. 

“Y-yeah. I, I’m fine.” She was still having trouble catching her breath so Nick coached her through until finally she was able to take deep breaths. Nick’s eyes were still roaming over her and it was then she saw the worry etched on his face. 

Her voice was a little shaky as she breathed out a “thank you” and it was then he noticed she was crying. 

“Oh Ellie.” The tenderness of his voice made the tears come faster and he sat next to her, pulling her into his lap. Once her tears calmed down, he brushed her hair out of her face and voiced the question she knew was coming. “Who was that guy?”

“That was Jake Malloy, my ex-husband.” Nick’s eyes were as wide as saucers at her statement. 

“You were married to him?” Ellie just nodded, keeping her head down. She was fully expecting for him to ask what happened but instead his next words shocked her. “Well, he didn’t deserve you.”

“How do you know that?” 

“Well first of all, any man who can act the way he did to a woman, let alone one they loved, is an idiot and doesn’t deserve it. Besides, you’re Ellie freakin Bishop. What man on earth could deserve you?” He got the desired effect as Ellie let out a small laugh, tucking her head into the crook of his neck. Not able to help himself, he placed a kiss on the top of her head and looked down, taking in her now-relaxed state. Now that the adrenaline had run off, he finally saw the rip in her sleeve and the little trail of blood that was trickling down her arm, staining her white shirt. 

“Shit Ellie, you’re bleeding.” Her head popped up, barely missing his jaw, as she began to inspect the damage. 

“Oh. Well, it’s just a little blood. I’ll be fine.” Starting to stand, she tried waving him off. She yanked her arm back to her however when she felt the pain shoot through her arm. Moving her off his lap, Nick stood and helped her up. 

“This isn’t just a little blood, it looks kinda deep. Not deep enough for stitches but I should clean it up.” Moving her to the kitchen, he started wetting a paper towel as she jumped up on the counter. “I um, I think you’re gonna have to take off your shirt to patch this up.” Although she knew it was what had to happen, Ellie’s cheeks turned crimson and she became suddenly nervous. Of course she would choose today to not wear a tank top under her shirt. 

“Oh-okay.” She moved her hands up to start unbuttoning her shirt when pain ripped through her arm at the cut. Nick was right, it was worse than it looked. “Um, Nick?” Turning around from getting the first aid kit, he looked at her in curiosity. “Could you uh…” He waited for her to finish her sentence before what she was trying to ask hit him. 

“Um… yeah, yeah I can uh. I can do that.” Setting down the kit, he walked over, stepping in between her knees and started unbuttoning her shirt slowly, eyes locked on hers the entire time. Once it was finally open, he slipped the sleeve off her uninjured arm first, then moved to her left arm, slowly peeling the torn fabric away from the skin. A hiss escaped her lips at the feeling and he apologized for the pain. 

Starting to patch her up, he finally asked what had been going through his mind since he kicked in the door. 

“You uh, don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to but, how did this happen El?” She smiled softly at the nickname and began recounting the events of the evening. “I heard a crash. Please tell me he didn’t throw something at you.”

“No. Thankfully. I ran into the side of the counter, which is where the cut came from, and knocked off a vase. Ironically it had been a wedding present from his mom that I was gonna get rid of anyway.” Nick finished cleaning and wrapping her arm then and ran his hand down, squeezing her hand in his. 

“Well, I’m glad you’re okay.” Looking up into his eyes, she saw the worry there before they flicked down to her lips. 

“Yeah, me too.” She mumbled, leaning towards him. Following her lead, he closed the distance between them and pressed a light kiss to her lips. 

Although it just lasted for a moment, Ellie’s breath caught in her throat at the feeling it gave her. Nick squeezed her hand and stepped back an inch, for the first time realizing she was sitting there in her bra. Clearing his throat, he gestured to her chest and she looked down, remembering that she had to remove her shirt. 

“I should probably go get dressed huh?” A nod was his only response and she jumped off the counter, barely brushing against him as she made her way to her room. Nick gulped as he watched her walk away. Seeing Ellie in just her jeans and a dark green bra had apparently derailed his brain and suddenly she was in front of him again, holding out a too-large t-shirt. “I tried but uh, your nursing abilities didn’t take away all of the pain. Could you?” 

“Yeah, of course.” Nick took the shirt from her outstretched hand, slipping it over her head and helping her get her left arm through it. 

Now fully dressed, she leaned up and placed a kiss on his cheek. 

“I want to repay but with my arm like this I don’t quite think I’d be able to pull off cooking tonight. How about you stay and I’ll order take out?”

“You don’t have to repay me Ellie, I promise.”

“Yes I do Nick. Who knows what would’ve happened had you not shown up. I mean, Jake has had his moments before but I’ve never seen him like that.” A chill ran through Nick at the thought of what could've happened to her but he pushed it away as quickly as it came. 

“Okay, you can repay me.” She started to grab her phone to call in an order before he could continue. “By letting me cook you dinner and staying in my spare room, at least until I can fix your door.” He could tell she was getting ready to protest so he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Please El. It would make me feel better knowing you’re safe.” Silently she nodded, agreeing to his conditions. 

“Fine. But as soon as I’m better I’m repaying you!”

“Alright, alright.” Laughing, he held up his hands in surrender. “You can order me take out whenever you’d like after tonight. Now c’mon, I pre-planned for enchiladas tonight.”

“Enchiladas? You’re speaking my language Torres!” Using her good arm, she bumped his shoulder, motioning for him to lead the way. Making sure her door was secure for the night, he showed her into his apartment, instructing her to get comfortable on the couch while he heated up the tray of enchiladas and whipped together some rice and beans. 

From the kitchen, Nick had the perfect view of Ellie curled into the corner of his couch with the throw blanket pulled over her as she flipped through channels. He didn’t know what it was about this woman but she intrigued him and he really wanted to get to know her more. Shaking his head, he had to remind himself that she was still going through a divorce and just needed a friend right now so a friend he would be.

The ding of the oven signified that dinner was ready and he quickly made up two plates, carrying them to the living room. They ate in a comfortable silence as they watched TV, both reveling in the ease of the evening, before Ellie yawned and stretched, her feet landing on Nick’s lap. Instinctively, he started rubbing his hands over her socked feet, moving up to her calves to ease the tension. 

Loving the feel of his hands on her legs, she let out an involuntary moan, not realizing what she did until Nick’s hands stopped their ministrations. Jumping up, she ran a hand over her hair in frustration with herself. 

“I should uh, I should get going.” Getting up, he loosely grabbed her wrist, halting her movement.

“Ellie, wait. There’s a reason I invited you to stay tonight. Your door’s not fixed remember?” Knowing he was right she sighed and faced him again.

“Yeah, I know. And thank you again. I really do appreciate it.”

“No problem. Like I said Ellie I just wanna make sure you’re safe. Now, follow me. Guest room is this way.” 

On reflex, Nick took her hand in his and led her down the hall, opening the door to the guest room which he had thankfully cleaned since Amanda’s sleepover. 

“Here ya go. Blankets are in the closet right over there and bathrooms down the hall on the left.” Looking back at her, he grinned at seeing her trying and failing to hold in another yawn. “Get some sleep, I’m right there if you need me.” Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Goodnight Ellie.” he gave her hand a squeeze before backing away and going to his room, leaving the door cracked just in case. 

“Goodnight Nick.” She whispered as he walked away, not sure if he heard her or not. Going into the room, she grabbed a spare blanket and slipped off her jeans before getting under the covers. Lying in bed, she thought back to the events of today. Nick had literally been her knight in shining armor and even wanted to make sure she was safe after the altercation with Jake. He hadn’t hesitated to offer her his spare room for the night and she felt a feeling of comfort surrounding her at the thought. Her mind then drifted to Jake and how he had never made her feel this way even in their eight years of marriage. Nick on the other hand made her feel safe and even sparked a desire in her she hadn’t felt in years, if ever.

Pulling the blanket tighter around her, she got a whiff of Nick’s scent and sighed happily. It didn’t take long after that to fall into a deep sleep, visions of a certain caring, muscled man filling her dreams. 

* * *

After that night, Ellie and Nick started spending more time together. Morning runs, grocery trips, sometimes even sharing take out at one of their apartments when they were both too tired from work to cook.

Ellie loved every moment she spent with Nick. With Nick, she felt accompanied, she felt seen and heard. Something she hadn’t felt in a long time, something Jake never had given her.

And this morning, Ellie was rushing around her apartment gathering what she needed for work. She overslept a bit, which would normally be fine as she could always drive a bit faster. But that was not the case today as her truck was in the shop for some annual check-up. She would need to commute with public transport today. Sighing, she checked once more she got everything and rushed out of her door.

What she didn’t expect is to bump right into Nick’s broad chest, who’s also leaving his apartment for work.

Ellie let out an “ouch” when her nose collided with Nick’s pecs, and she couldn't help but inhale Nick’s scent, calming her almost-fraying nerves.

Nick steadied her with his hands on her shoulder, pushing her slightly backwards to see if she’s okay.

“Seriously El,” Nick started with a teasing tone, “You have to stop making it a habit of running into me.”

Ellie blushed, muttering an apology, “Sorry Nick, I’m late for work.”

Nick checked his watch and frowned slightly in confusion, “The drive to BAU wasn’t that long, or are you going to some crime scene today?”

“My truck is in the shop, and the subway is a bitch at peak hours. So I’ll need to go now if I don’t wanna be later than I already am.” Ellie rambled nervously.

“Hey hey, Ellie, breathe” Nick hands went back to her shoulder for a reassuring squeeze, and she did as told, “Come on, you can ride with me. Isn’t the BAU right next to the Navy Yard?” 

Ellie’s about to protest when Nick added, “And before you say anything, no, it wouldn’t be troublesome and it’s literally not out of the way.”

Ellie sighed the second time for this morning, and nodded. “Thank you Nick.”

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence in Nick’s Jeep, soft music from the radio serving as their background noise.

Ellie snuck glances at Nick from time to time, finding him extra attractive when he’s focusing on the road. Nick could feel Ellie looking at him, but before he could make a teasing comment, he spotted something unusual.

Not wanting to freak Ellie out, Nick kept the discovery to himself and kept an eye out for the vehicle that had been following them since they left their street.

Nick muttered a few swear words in Spanish under his breath when the car kept tailing them even if he did a few subtle tricks to try get rid of it.

“What’s wrong Nick?” Nick turned his head at Ellie surprisingly. Chuckling at Nick’s slightly-dumbfounded face, Ellie supplied, “You were swearing in Spanish.”

“You know Spanish?” Getting a nod from Ellie, Nick decided to pursue this topic later. They had a more pressing issue right now. “Erm we’re being tailed”

Ellie frowned at Nick’s words, eyes shifting to the side view mirror and she immediately spotted it. “That black Chevy Impala with slightly tinted windows behind us huh?” 

“Yeah” Nick was actually impressed by Ellie’s sharp observation, “I tried getting rid of it but it’s like chewing gum.”

Ellie remained silent for a few seconds, eyes glued to the vehicle that seemed somehow familiar to her. And it clicked when she remembered where she saw this car before.“It’s Jake.” She spoke up quietly.

“That jackass is following us?” Nick tried to hide his anger, but failed miserably as the mental image of Ellie backed into that corner flashed before his eyes.

“No, it has to be someone he hired. He’s never a skillful driver, let alone tailing us this tight.” Ellie pondered on her thoughts for a bit, deciding should she tell Nick her hypothesis on why Jake was hiring a private investigator on them.

“He’s really desperate huh?” Nick scoffed, rolling his eyes as he continued to drive steadily towards their workplace.

“Well… He saw your jacket at my place and flipped, accusing me of cheating on him, uh with y-you”

“Wait a second, wasn’t he the one who cheated on you?!” He looked over at her when she didn’t respond immediately and saw her head down. Knowing that meant he was right, he ran a hand over his face in frustration. “That son of bitch! He’s the one who has an affair and then has the nerve to accuse you of cheating? I swear if I ever get my hands on him.” 

Ellie could see the white in his knuckles as he gripped the wheel tighter in anger. Needing to calm him down before they arrived to work she placed a gentle hand on his arm and saw the tension leave him immediately. “Nick it’s okay. We’ll lose him eventually. I mean, it’s not like they can follow us onto the FBI or NCIS base. Besides, the divorce will be finalized soon and I’ll be rid of him permanently.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’m sorry El it’s just… I worry about you. It was bad enough that he basically attacked you in your home but now he has someone following you? I don’t like it and I don’t like him.” 

“You’re sweet to worry Nick but I think you’re forgetting that I am also a federal agent. I can take care of myself.”

“Oh trust me, I haven’t forgotten that part. My back still hurts from you taking me down on the mat last week.” That got a much needed laugh out of her. “I know you can take care of yourself, but I also want you to know that I’m here for you. Whenever you need.” 

“I know Nick. Thank you. For everything” 

“Anytime Ellie.” He clasped her hand in his, bringing it up to his lips and pressing a kiss to the back of it. “Anytime.”

* * *

Finding out about the Private Investigator Jake had hired to tail them made them change their usual routine. Despite Ellie’s protests that they had nothing to worry about, Nick said it was best they stopped spending so much time together in public so Jake didn’t have anything to hold against her in court, even if they were just friends. 

Instead of their morning runs or grocery trips together, their interactions were limited to time spent on the fire escape outside their windows. Luckily they were the end units on the top floor so they were the only ones who had easy access to their level. 

Almost every evening, Ellie would get home and grab her notepad, writing out a note for Nick to meet her on the fire escape and slip it under his door. Watching the clock, she would wait until she heard his footsteps in the hall and climb out her window. It never took him more than five minutes to meet her out there. 

The nights she spent talking with Nick outside on the fire escape, the light of the moon their only audience, were some of the best she’d ever had. They both felt like teenagers sneaking around as they met under the cover of darkness, staying up until past midnight just talking. Ellie learned about Nick’s past and his move from Florida with his sister and what led him to become an NCIS undercover agent. In the spirit of sharing, Ellie told him about her parents and brothers back in Oklahoma and moving out here to join the NSA which is where she met Jake. After some encouragement from Nick, she told him about their seemingly perfect marriage which started falling apart after joining the FBI and led to their eventual downfall. Despite knowing their marriage was on the verge of collapse, it still came as a shock to learn that Jake had been having an affair. 

Nick held her as she cried over how naïve she had been and it was that moment she knew she cared for him as more than just a friend. 

Less than a week later Ellie returned the favor when Nick broke down, telling her how it was the anniversary of his friend Sofia’s death - how she was the only girl he had ever cared about until her. Even as he tried to pull away, embarrassed at having let that piece of information slip, Ellie assured him it was okay, that she had feelings for him too. 

Even though they didn’t go farther than their admissions and a gentle kiss, that night they both knew what was to come.

* * *

Staring at the sheet of paper in her hand she smiled. It was finally over. She was finally legally divorced and she couldn't wait to tell Nick. Thinking back to the last month between them, spending time together, getting to know each other, she knew that Nick was a great guy. She also knew that she had to do something about the sexual tension that had been building between them since day one. A lightbulb went off and she grabbed her notepad, scribbling a note to him and running out to slide it under his door. 

Rushing into her room, she put on her shortest, figure hugging dress, threw on some dark makeup that was sure to highlight her eyes, and slipped into a pair of black wedges. At the last second, she slipped into her trench coat. She wanted to surprise Nick tonight. 

Back in her living room, she waited until she heard his familiar footsteps before stepping outside. 

It was Friday evening and luckily for Nick, Gibbs actually let them go on time today. Getting to his door, he paused. Ellie had spent the day in court and he wanted to check on her. Knocking on her door, he frowned when there was no noise coming from the other side. Figuring she wasn’t home yet, he unlocked his door and went inside when a slip of paper on the floor caught his attention. Picking it up, he smiled at the familiar words “ _ Meet me on the fire escape”  _ in Ellie’s handwriting. Emptying his pockets, he went to the living room, opening the window and crawling outside. 

Ellie was standing there, one hand in the pocket of her trench coat, the other clutching a sheet of paper. Nick turned to face her, holding up the note. 

“So, what’s with the cryptic message today? Everything go okay in court?” She was still silent but a wide smile crossed her face as she held out the paper to him. Reading it over, his smile began to rival hers and he looked at her with hope. “Does this mean that I think it means?” 

“Yep!” She nodded, looking eerily similar to a bobble head. “I’m officially divorced!” Her enthusiasm was contagious and he cheered, meeting her in the middle and wrapping her in a hug. Had they not been on the metal fire escape he would’ve picked her up and spun her around but there would be time for that later. 

“Congratulations Ellie!” Cupping her cheeks in his palms he looked into her eyes, waiting for permission before diving in. 

Finally feeling his lips on hers again, Ellie groaned, hands going to the back of his neck to tangle in the short hairs there. Nick’s hands moved down to grip her hips, pulling her flush against him as his tongue invaded her mouth. 

Reluctantly they pulled away, resting their foreheads together, both breathing heavily as they tried to take in much needed air. 

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.” Nick whispered, making Ellie smirk. 

“Oh I think I have an idea. Probably about as long as I’ve wanted to do this.” Eyes curious, he looked down at where she had grabbed his hand and smirked as she pulled him towards her window. He dreamed about this day and now it was here.

Once inside her apartment, he followed her as she led him through the living room. Suddenly she stopped, back against the wall next to her table, pulling him against her. She saw the change in his eyes when he realized the last time he saw her like this; the day he came to her rescue. Needing to replace bad memories with a good one, she grabbed his head, pulling him to her. His lips met hers again, this time briefly as he started trailing them down her neck. A deep moan escaped her lips as he started sucking on her pulse point and she felt him smile against her skin. Needing him to keep up his ministrations, she brought her hand up to hold his head against her neck as his moved down to untie the belt of her coat. Pushing it off her shoulders, he tore his lips away and took in the skin tight black strapless dress. 

“Woof.” Ellie actually giggled at that, feeling the much needed confidence boost run through her. A gasp escaped her and she gripped his black leather jacket as he suddenly picked her up, hands going to her ass to hold her up as her legs wrapped around his waist. 

Wanting to feel the muscles that she knew were under that jacket, she pushed it off, letting it fall to the floor with a thunk before slipping her hands under his shirt and slowly removing it from his body. 

Nick practically growled as she started running her hands over his chest, getting closer and closer to his belt. He knew if she touched him now this would be over before it started so he grabbed her hands, halting her movement. Ellie actually pouted at being stopped and looked at him in confusion. 

“As much as I would love that Babe,” she gasped as he pushed his erection into her, feeling his desire. “I think you deserve this first.” Smiling at his thoughtfulness, she became so turned on by his words she missed his hand moving south. Suddenly, she was being held up by just the wall at her back as his hand was on her thigh, moving up the inside. She sighed in delight when he finally touched her over her panties. The sigh turned to a moan as he pushed her thong aside, feeling the wetness that had already gathered there. 

Looking in her eyes once more for confirmation, he thrust a finger in her,  kissing her hard at the same time to swallow her moans . Picking up the pace, he added another finger, curling them to hit just the right angle. Already worked up from the anticipation of tonight, it didn’t take long for her to shatter around his fingers, screaming his name as she came. Easing her down from her high, he slowly pulled out of her, causing her to immediately miss the feel of him. 

Letting out an involuntary whimper, Ellie buried her flushed face into the crook of Nick's neck, placing a light kiss just below his chin. Feeling his scruff against her skin, she found herself wanting to feel it elsewhere on her body and trailed her lips up to his ear. 

“Nick?” She felt more than heard his hum in response and ground her hips into his. “Take me to bed.” 

“My pleasure Ellie.” A tingle went down her spine when she remembered the first time he said those words to her in the stairwell. It was also the first time she felt his muscles and a thrill went through her at the thought of getting to feel all of them tonight.

Carrying her down the hall, he listened intently as Ellie told him where her bedroom was, remembering the directions for future use. Once inside, he sat her down beside the bed and spun her around. Locating the zipper easily, he slowly trailed it down her back, mouth following the path of newly exposed skin. 

Ellie whimpered when she felt his scruff brush across the skin of her now bare back as her dress hit the floor, leaving her in just the red lace thong he had brushed aside earlier. 

Placing one last kiss on the small of her back, he stood up, hands trailing up her sides and eventually coming to cup her breasts. Her head rolled back at the sensation until she had enough, needing to feel all of him. Spinning around in his grasp, her hands made quick work of his belt and pants, dropping them both to the floor in a smooth motion. The sight of him in just his boxers that were clearly straining to contain his length had her licking her lips and she stepped forward. 

Ellie pulled Nick by the neck into a deep kiss as she looped her thumbs under his waistband and tugged, finally freeing him. Wanting to repay him for their time in the living room she gripped him, a hiss escaping him at the feel of her hands on his sensitive skin. Not wanting to let her get the upper hand he quickly rid her of her panties and picked her up, laying her gently in the middle of the bed. Reaching over, Ellie grabbed the box of condoms from her nightstand, holding one out for him. 

“A whole box huh?” Nick smirked, glancing from the box to the little square in her hand. 

“What can I say, I wanted to be prepared.” Laughing, Nick leaned down to kiss her, grabbing the condom from her hand and rolling it on with her help.

Hovering above her, Ellie knew the look in his eyes was more than just lust, it was the same look she was sure was reflected in hers, and leaned up to pull him into a kiss. It quickly deepened as she swiped her tongue along his mouth, begging for entrance. His mouth opened at the same time he brought a hand back up to her breast and pinched and he swallowed the moan she let escape. 

He waited until she pulled back from the kiss to grip her hip, looking her in the eyes as he slowly entered her. Keeping a steady pace, he knew Ellie was close and reached down to rub her, finally bringing her to the brink. 

Needing release, Nick started to thrust again when Ellie held a hand to his chest. 

“Nick, wait. Just a second.” She was still panting so he leaned back, waiting for her to be ready again. A sly smile crossed her face and suddenly he was on his back, looking up at her in shock and amazement. Suddenly feeling shy under Nick’s intense gaze, she looked at him, nervousness showing in her eyes. “Is uh, this okay?” 

Any uncertainty vanished at the darkness of his eyes and the feeling of his hands gripping her thighs. She sent a wicked grin his way as she sunk down on him, reveling at the new angle. Leaning back, she traced her hands along his strong thighs, loving the way they felt under her. Since the day he kicked in her door she had dreamed about his thighs and what they could do and so far she had not been disappointed.

Ellie kept up a relentless pace, watching as she knew Nick was close and becoming desperate to bring him to release. Nick tried to keep up with Ellie’s motion, hips thrusting up to meet Ellie’s when she bounced down on him. Their pace soon lost the rhythm as they’re both close to the edge now. But as much as Nick enjoyed Ellie riding him, the Alpha male in him needed to take back control, and he flipped them over just as Ellie slowed down for a second to catch her breath. 

Yelping, Ellie let out a deep moan as the sudden change in position pushed Nick’s thick shaft even deeper into her.

“Gosh Ellie” Nick moaned into the soft skin at Ellie’s collarbone, “You feel so good.”

“Nick…” And all Ellie could respond was moaning out his name, and bucking her hips into his.

Nick picked up his pace even more, bringing one hand down to where he was connected with Ellie and gently rubbed at the bundle of nerves. Elllie swore she saw stars the second Nick’s fingers touched her, sending her even closer to her third orgasm of the night.

“Nick, please” Ellie couldn’t help but begged, needing the release right here right now.

“Just a little bit more baby” Nick leaned down to whisper against Ellie’s lips, “I want us to come together. Can you hold on for me?”

There’s something in Nick’s tone that makes her want to please him, so Ellie nodded, tilting her head up to kiss Nick.

And Nick wasn’t lying when he said just a little bit more. Soon enough, with Ellie’s walls tightening around him, he came just at the same time as her, both groaning each other’s name.

Carefully pulling out of Ellie and rolling up the condom from his softening member, Nick collapsed onto his side and pulled Ellie flushed against him.

“Wow” Nick breathed out, gaining a breathless chuckle out of Ellie.

The pair laid there exchanging soft kisses and gentle caresses here and there, until one kiss turned into a heated make out session again.

“Round two?” Nick smirked as he asked, panting from the passionate kiss they just shared.

“Hell yeah” And the smirk on Ellie’s face just turned Nick on even more.

Hours later as they laid there curled together, sweaty and sated, Nick brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face and whispered the words he had been holding in. 

“Ellie. I love you.” 

Pushing herself up from where she rested on his chest, she ran a hand up his neck, caressing the scruff there. A shiver went through her as she remembered it tickling her thighs during round two (well, four for her) and if the darkness of his eyes were any indication he knew exactly what was going through her mind. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.

“I love you too Nick.”

Laying back down, Nick pulled her into his side, her head coming to rest on his chest as she threw an arm over his stomach. “Goodnight.” Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Sweet dreams.” His lips moved down, placing a kiss on her nose. “I love you Ellie.” Tipping her head up, he placed a last kiss on her lips. Smiling, Ellie placed a kiss just over his heart, curling into him tighter. 

“Goodnight, sweet dreams, I love you too Nick.”

In the morning, Ellie woke up to Nick still sleeping next to her, a happy smile on his face. Loving the feeling of being in his arms, she pulled the blankets around her, snuggling into his side. No longer tired, she lay there watching him as her mind kept wandering back to the last six weeks. She knew she was attracted to Nick when she first met him but she never expected to develop feelings this quickly. Feeling him shift next to her, she broke out of her thoughts and saw him starting to wake.

“Mmm Ellie. Go back to sleep.” Closing his eyes again, he nudged her to roll over, spooning her from behind when she relented. With his arm snugly over her waist, she drifted off to sleep, dreams filled with Nick and doing certain R-rated things on the fire escape that already held so many fond memories.


End file.
